This would actually be kind of hilarious if it wasn’t rather sad… Marvel has apparently decided that the trick to getting girls to buy their merchandise are… Chibis and cosmetics. And yes, they actually use the term ‘female product.’ Seriously!
“Since our core customer has always been guys, we need to be very careful when we introduce female product so that we don’t alienate our core,” said Paul Gitter, president of consumer products, North America, for Marvel Entertainment Inc. “What we have found through testing is that we haven’t alienated them, which gives us the OK to move forward with female product.”
Yes, god forbid they alienate the menfolk.
Points for trying, I guess, but isn’t there some kind of middle road here? Do they really have to go over to the hearts-and-pink-things side – or define ‘female’ as ‘preteen’ – to get women to buy merchandise? (Via Maggiesox, who has her rant on.)
So… the menfolk aren’t alienated as long as the “female products” stay in a nice pink ghetto. Is that their message?
Also, the internets tell me that DCU already has female products.
…so, their idea of appealing to women is to give them a chance to say how great men are?
Good to know.
I totally forgot about the Contex ads! I’m fairly sure I meant to blog them at some point.
My friend Ashley has gotten a following for her fan art Super hero chibis…only they’re 500x better. :)
http://orangebluecream.deviantart.com/
Oh but the Spidey/Goblin “Broken Heart” is just so slashy!
http://www.wwd.com/markets-news/marvel-debuts-female-apparel-and-cosmetics-2082130#/slideshow/article/2082130/2082158
Just think, we could have “Wolverine Nail Polish” to make your claws as hard as adamantium!
This is dumb, obviously.
I buy the lego SW shirts and clone wars shirts that they have at wal mart/target in the boys section. so if I’m wearing them does it make it a ‘female product’ ? omg…
I still can’t get over “female product”.
Oh, Marvel. I know it’s hard to imagine, but there are women and girls out there who like superheroes. Yes, even the male ones. So, instead of making “female product”, why not just make product in women and girls sizes and styles? That way, we won’t have to shop for PJ’s and T-shirts in the boys and mens sections.
I love Marvel superheros in a big, serious way. But I really loathe the way Marvel is handling them these days. All in the name of their “boy” fanbase. Because, you know, boys can’t handle married heroes. Or girls who like superhero stuff that isn’t GIRLY. ::sigh::
“Female Products” just sounds like a bad euphemism for tampons. So, how long until I get to see “Hulk”-sized tampons at the grocery store? (I bet the super “snazzy” ones would be named after Iron Man…)
If they’re going to create “female product,” then it should at least be appealing to females. Are their female fans all 10 years old? (Although I’m not sure even my niece would wear that.)
Surely there are some other ideas that are “female-centric” that could be done?
But yes, when it gets down to it, give me the same stuff as the guys, but in something that fits.
So, how long until I get to see “Hulk”-sized tampons at the grocery store?
DC is ahead of Marvel here*: Contex ads
*what, Photoshop? nah…